Read this description of basic knowledge building which represents the perspective of SLR Research Corporation for Microsoft Innovative Teaching and Learning (ITL) research. While the ITL research document is quite prescriptive it does help you relate the idea of knowledge building to your teaching.
Gerry Stahl, while at the Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, wrote a paper on collaborative knowledge building and used an image of social knowledge building (Figure 1). The convention in the diagram is that arrows represent transformative processes and rectangles represent the products of these processes, i.e. forms of knowledge.
Source: Stahl, G. (2000). A Model of Collaborative Knowledge-Building. In B. Fishman & S. O'Connor-Divelbiss Eds.), Fourth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp. 70-77). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
How does this suggested process describe the process of social knowledge building you experience in the CCTI courses such as Innovative Approaches to Learning with Technology?
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Join the online discussion group for this lesson called Knowledge Building and share your personal understanding of knowledge building with the group. Consider alternative perspectives and attempt to clarify what you do not fully understand before refining your personal understanding. As you proceed with this discussion, make reference to Figure 1 and plot where you are in the process. Note: Stahl does not intend this image to be seriously debated. It has limitations as a model, which you can attempt to identify in your discussion.
